Salazar said he thinks the future for solar energy is bright. In an Associated Press interview, he said the Solyndra Inc. case and a delay in the massive Blythe solar project in California illustrate the challenges facing the solar industry.

He cited fierce competition from China and changes in technology as key risks.

Salazar said, "It's not going to be a perfect path."

Still, he said critics who say the administration should not be subsidizing renewable energy companies are wrong, noting that the oil and gas industry has received tax breaks and other incentives for more than a century.

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